Lead sight



' MRCH 800M E. E. WILLIAMS LEAD SIGHT Filed NOV. 19, 1962 May 19, 1964EDWARD E MLL/AMS ATTOR EY;

United States Patent 3,133,353 LEAD SIGHT Edward E. Williams, Rte. 3,Box 10, Mound, Minn. Filed Nov. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 238,552 7 Claims.(Cl. 33-51) This invention relates generally to gun sights, and moreparticularly to a gun sight by means of which the user, when sighting ona target moving laterally across the line of sight, leads the targetwith the gun barrel.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a lead sightfor use on the breech or receiver portion of a gun, and which providesfor the correct lead when sighting on targets moving in either ofopposite directions laterally of the line of sight.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a sight as setforth, which is used independently of the sights normally provided onguns, and which materially aids the user in sighting on the target.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a sight asdescribed which may be quickly and easily mounted on the breech orreceiver portion of a gun, and which does not affect the balance of thegun when used thereon.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a lead sight,as set forth, which is simple and inexpensive to produce, which needs noadjustments, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

The above, and still further. highly important objects and advantages ofthis invention will become apparent from the following detailedspecification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in whichlike reference characters indicate like parts throughout the severalviews:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in plan and partly diagrammatic, illustratingthe use of the gun sight of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevalion;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the gun sight removed from thegun;

FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken on the line 44 of FIG. '2,with the gun removed; and

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the bottom and rear end portionof a modified form of the invention.

The numeral 1 indicates, in its entirety, a conventional gun, such as ashotgun, including an elongated barrel 2 extending forwardly from abreech or receiver 3, a stock 4 and a fore end 5. A firing trigger 6 isshown in FIG. 2 within the usual trigger guard 7.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, agenerally V-shaped body is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 8.The body 8 comprises a pair of elongated tubular body sections 9 and 10which converge rearwardly and which are joined at their rear ends. Thebody 8 may be made from any suitable material, such as molded syntheticplastics or metal, the body sections 9 and 10 defining axially elongatedsighting apertures or channels 11 and 12 respectively, the ape-rtures 11and 12 joining at their rear ends to provide a single opening or channel13 for both said apertures or channels 11 and 12. With reference toFIGS. 1 and 4, it will be seen that the extended axes of the apertures11 and 12, shown by broken lines A and B intersect at a point C inrearwardly spaced relation to the body 8. Preferably, the distancebetween the intersection point C and the rear end of the body 8 issomewhat less than the overall length of the body 8.

The body 8 is formed to provide a pair of laterally outwardly projectingears or flanges 14 each having aper- 3,133,353 Patented May 19, 1964tures 15 for the reception of opposite ends of elastic elements in thenature of coil springs or the like 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, withthe body 8 resting on the top surface portion of the receiver or breechportion 3 of the gun 1, the elastic members or springs 16 are adapted toencompass the underlying portion of the gun I, and are under tension tosecurely hold the body or sight 8 in position preferably, the body 8 isplaced longitudinally of the gun so that the users sighting eye will besubstantially coincident with the point C, so that the user may sightaxially through either aperture or channel 11 and 12 without unnecessaryshifting of his head relative to the gun. When the sight is properlymounted on the gun, as above described, the angle described by the axesA and B of the apertures 11 and 12 is bisected by a vertical planecoincident with the axis of the gun barrel 2, the gun barrel axis beingshown by a broken line in FIG. 1 and indicated at In"11,the user sightsthrough the aperture 11 or 12 which is disposed at the side from which alaterally moving target approaches the firing area. In other words, whena laterally moving target is in motion from the side of the gun at whichthe tubular section 9 is disposed, the user will sight through theaperture 11 of the body section '8. This action automatically lines upthe barrel 2 of the gun '1 so that, when the target is sighted throughthe aperture 11, and the gun fired, the shot and the target will arrivesimultaneously at a given point. In other words, the angularrelationship of the axes A and B is such that sighting through theaperture 11 will automatically position the gun barrel 2 to provide thecorrect lead for the moving target. In FIG. 1, arrows E and F associatedwith the broken lines A and B, indicate the lateral movement of targetsand the apertures 11 and 12 which should be used according to thedirection of movement of the targets.

For straight away shooting, or shooting at a target which directlyapproaches or directly moves away from the user, I provide a sightingring element 17 at the top portion of the body 8 and having an axis thatis parallel to the axis D of the gun barrel 2 when the body 8 is mountedon the gun as above described. The ring element 17 is used incooperation with the bead sight 18 usually provided on the top portionsof gun barrels, such as shotgun barrels, adjacent the front endsthereof. The disposition of the ring element 17 at the top of the body 8provides for proper elevation of the gun barrel 2 when the ring element17 is used in connection with the head 18, to provide the proper leadfor rising movement of the target when the same is moving generallytoward or away from the hunter.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, it will be noted that the upper andlaterally outer portions of the tubular body sections 9 and 10 arethickened at the rear end portions thereof, as indicated at 19. Thisthickened portion provides for a heavy outline for the common sightingaperture '13, and materially assists the user in sighting through theapertures 11 or 12, the elongation of the apertures 11 and 12 giving theillusion of a telescope sight.

The modified form of sight illustrated in FIG. 5, is similar in allrespects to that illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, except for the mounting meanstherefor. In this form of the invention, the ears or flanges 14 areeliminated, together with the elastic members 16, and a pair of barmagnets 20 are rigidly secured to the bottom surface portions of therearwardly converging body sections, indicated at 9a and 10a. In allother respects, the sight of FIG. 5 is identical to that illustrated inFIGS. 1-4, and the various parts thereof are identified by the samereference numerals as corresponding parts of the sight of FIGS. 1-4,with the exponent a added.

My novel lead sight, being relatively light in weight and mounted on agun near the point of balance thereof, has little, if any effect on theoverall balance of a shotgun or rifle, when attached thereto. It will beappreciated that the sight is as well adapted for use on a doublebarreled shotgun as well as a single barreled shotgun or rifie, andthat, if desired, the sight may be permanently mounted on a gun by anysuitable means, not shown.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completelysatisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; andwhile I have shown a preferred embodiment of my novel lead sight .and asingle modified form thereof, it will be understood that the same iscapable of further modification without departure from the spirit andscope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A lead sight for guns comprising,

(a) a body,

(b) means for mounting said body on the top surface portion'df a gunadjacent'tli breech thereof,

() said body defining a pair of sighting channels elongated indirections generally longitudinally of a gun barrel when mounted on saidgun,

(d) said channels converging rearwardly of said body and terminating ina common channel at the rear end of said body.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the longitudinal axes ofsaid sighting channels intersect in rear- Wardly spaced relation to saidbody.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with means onsaid body defining a center sight opening having an axis substantiallyparallel to the axis of a gain barrel when mounted on said gun.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a pairof elastic members each connected at its opposite ends to opposite sidesof said body, said members being disposed in spaced relationlongitudinally of the body and adapted to encompass the underlyingportion of a gun when said body is mounted thereon.

5. A lead sight for guns comprising,

(a) a generally V-shaped body,

(b) means for mounting said body on the top surface portion of a gunadjacent the breech thereof,

(0) said body comprising a pair of elongated rear- Wardly convergingtubular sections each defining an axially elongated sighting aperture,

(d) said tubular sections being joined at their rear end portions,

(e) said sighting apertures converging rearwardly and terminating in acommon aperture at the rear end of said body,

(1) the axes of said apertures intersecting at a point in rearwardlyspaced relation to said body.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in further combination with a ringelement mounted on said tubular sections intermediate the ends of saidbody and defining a central sight opening the axis of which is generallyparallel to the axis of the barrel of a gun when said body is mounted onsaid gun.

7. In combination with a gun including an elongated barrel, a lead sightcomprising:

(a) a body mounted on the top portion of said gun adjacent the breechthereof,

(b) said body defining a pair of sighting apertures elongated indirections generally longitudinally of said barrel,

(c) said sighting apertures converging rearwardly relative to said bodyand terminating in a common aperture at the rear end of said body,

'(d) the axes of said apertures intersecting at a point rearwardly ofsaid body,

(e) a vertical plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of said gunbisecting the angle defined by the axes of said sighting apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,421,553 Pohl July 4, 1922 2,234,518 C-uzdey Mar. 11, 1941 FOREIGNPATENTS 118,249 Switzerland Dec. 16, 19 6

1. A LEAD SIGHT FOR GUNS COMPRISING, (A) A BODY, (B) MEANS FOR MOUNTINGSAID BODY ON THE TOP SURFACE PORTION OF A GUN ADJACENT THE BREECHTHEREOF, (C) SAID BODY DEFINING A PAIR OF SIGHTING CHANNELS ELONGATED INDIRECTIONS GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY OF A GUN BARREL WHEN MOUNTED ON SAIDGUN, (D) SAID CHANNELS CONVERGING REARWARDLY OF SAID BODY ANDTERMINATING IN A COMMON CHANNEL AT THE REAR END OF SAID BODY.